Taiwan thankful for U.S. support amid Chinese pressure: president

2018/06/13 16:05:59

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文/CNA file photo)

Taipei, June 13 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Wednesday expressed her thanks to the United States and other countries for supporting Taiwan at a time when China has attempted to change the status quo of the Taiwan Strait unilaterally.

Tsai said the U.S. speaking up for Taiwan in the name of justice, in response to the pressure exerted by China on American airlines to change the way they refer to Taiwan on their websites, was an example of U.S. support for Taiwan that was deeply felt by Taiwanese people.

Tsai expressed her gratitude while meeting with James Moriarty, chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), who is on a five-day trip to Taiwan focused mainly on attending the dedication ceremony of the AIT's new office complex in Taipei on Tuesday.

Citing the speech Moriarty recently delivered at Stanford University, in which he said Taiwan's democratization offers a powerful example to the Indo-Pacific region and the world, Tsai said the democratic values shared by the U.S. and Taiwan are a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship.

Tsai said Taiwan is committed to enhancing cooperation with the U.S. on the security and national defense fronts to maintain peace and stability in the region.

The recent actions by China to pressure Taiwan diplomatically and militarily were examples of its attempts to disrupt peace and stability in cross-strait relations and to change the status quo unilaterally, the president said, adding that the moves have heightened regional tensions.

A number of senior U.S. officials have visited Taiwan after its adoption of the Taiwan Travel Act, while Taiwan will again send a large group of business community leaders to the U.S. to attend the SelectUSA Investment Summit scheduled for later this month, Tsai said.

The exchanges will deepen bilateral relations, create more benefits for peoples of both sides, and further consolidate mutual trust and cooperation, helping Taiwan and the U.S. better deal with every challenge in the region, she said.

Moriarty said the opening of the AIT's new office complex is a symbol of the close relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan and an investment by the U.S. in that relationship.

The U.S.'s reaffirmation of the Taiwan Relations Act and its support for Taiwan's international participation and people-to-people exchanges also show its commitment to Taiwan, he said.

The U.S. recognizes the "special circumstances" and pressure facing Taiwan and is committed to helping Taiwan deal with the challenges and maintain peace and stability, Moriarty said.